Dancing in the Street
Cilla Black Lyrics


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Calling out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat
Summer′s here and the time is right
For dancing in the street
They're dancing in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City
All we need is music, sweet music
There′ll be music everywhere
There'll be swinging swaying records playing
Dancing in the street

Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on ev′ry guy grab a girl
Ev′rywhere around the world
They'll be dancing
They′re dancing in the street

It's just an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet
There′ll be laughing, singing and music swinging
Dancing in the street
Philadelphia, PA
Baltimore and D.C. now
Can't forget the Motor City
All we need is music, sweet music
There′ll be music everywhere
There'll be swinging, swaying and records playing
Dancing in the street

Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on ev′ry guy grab a girl
Ev′rywhere around the world

Dancing
They're dancing in the street
Way down in L.A.




Every day
Dancing in the street

Overall Meaning

Cilla Black's "Dancing in the Street" is a joyful and energetic song that celebrates the universal language of music and dance. The opening lines, "Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat," set the tone for the rest of the song as an invitation to dance and celebrate together. The chorus emphasizes this feeling of connection, as people from all over the world come together to dance, regardless of what they are wearing. The song emphasizes the importance of music as a way to bring people together and inspire joy.


The verses of the song mention specific cities where dancing is taking place, emphasizing the idea that this is a ubiquitous activity that happens all over the world. From Chicago to New Orleans to New York City to Los Angeles, people are out in the streets, dancing and having a good time. The repetition of the phrase "dancing in the street" throughout the song emphasizes the joy and freedom that comes with dancing in public spaces, creating a festive atmosphere that brings people together regardless of their differences.


Overall, Cilla Black's "Dancing in the Street" is a song about celebration, connection, and the universal joy that comes with dancing. It is a reminder that even in times of division and conflict, music and dance have the power to bring people together.


Line by Line Meaning

Calling out around the world
Announcing to people everywhere


Are you ready for a brand new beat
Are you prepared for an entirely new music genre


Summer′s here and the time is right
The summer season is the appropriate time


For dancing in the street
To dance on the roads


They're dancing in Chicago
People are dancing in Chicago


Down in New Orleans
In New Orleans, towards the ground


Up in New York City
In New York City, towards the sky


All we need is music, sweet music
Only the sweet sound of music is enough


There′ll be music everywhere
Music will be all around


There'll be swinging swaying records playing
Music that moves and grooves will be playing


Dancing in the street
Dance on the roads


Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
The clothes you wear don't matter


Just as long as you are there
As long as you are present


So come on ev′ry guy grab a girl
Boys, grab the hands of the girls


Ev′rywhere around the world
In every corner around the world


They'll be dancing
People will be dancing


It's just an invitation across the nation
It's simply an offer to everyone in the country


A chance for folks to meet
An opportunity for people to come together


There'll be laughing, singing and music swinging
There will be joy, singing, and music that moves and grooves


Philadelphia, PA
People are dancing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


Baltimore and D.C. now
Baltimore and Washington, D.C., presently dancing


Can't forget the Motor City
We cannot overlook the Motor City - Detroit


Way down in L.A.
Way down in Los Angeles


Every day
People dance every day


Dancing in the street
Dancing on the roads




Writer(s): Marvin Gaye, Ivy Hunter, William Stevenson

Contributed by Scarlett H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@Al-ImprovEd2022

Didn’t realize how creative this show was at times, with its staging.

@cats0182

The cost of production for the show became overwhelming. That's why the plug was pulled.

@michaelrochester48

They had some great choreography, check the Paul Mauriat love is blue choreography from 1968 that’s on YouTube

@Al-ImprovEd2022

Ok will do. Some of the choreography is really cool. Very different from today.

@jamessuriet

Amazing 💋 Upload her 1966 appearence please!

@TomYaz

The song was actually banned from many radio stations because it was thought that the underlying message of dancing in the street was to race riot

@lenb7275

Nobody sings it better than Martha and the vandellas

@stephenguppy8886

True. Cilla was a great entertainer but let's face it, she could have doubled on any cruise ship as both cabaret and fog horn.

@sibionic

and nobody sings it worse than Cilla

@woodie62

Not sure if she appeared on Sullivan any time before this but she looked very conservative here. And that's pretty much the way Ed usually would have it. But even in saying that, he was still really fair and open about the acts he hosted. That's one of the things I like about Ed Sullivan.

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